- the knife I initially misunderstood
Time for a true pocket knife. The type that is very often referred to as a "gentleman's" knife. In Swedish, we hardly have that kind of typology for knives, so we sometimes have to borrow expressions. Anyway, this knife really deserves that epithet with its sober exterior and neat format. The creation is called Puffin and comes from QSP.
QSP QS127-B Puffin
QSP is a brand that I have presented on numerous occasions on this blog. Their catalog is steadily growing and has expanded to include several different categories. First, the range of more utility-oriented folding knives was mainly dominated by the "EDC category", although there was some larger knife like the Copperhead. They eventually released some luxury models with extravagant looks and not least a series of fixed blades of different types.
But they have not released many smaller knives in top-notch materials. So Puffin, therefore, feels welcome and fills a niche.
But they have not released many smaller knives in top-notch materials. So Puffin, therefore, feels welcome and fills a niche.
Blade
The knife blade on Puffin is a clean and simple drop point with fairly classic proportions. It is noticeable that the knife is also aiming at the US market as the blade measures almost exactly 3 inches, ie 76 mm long. The blade thickness is 3 mm at the spine which is decent. But personally, I wouldn't mind if the reduced to 2,5 or so. However, that is a gospel that is preached for death ears, I'm afraid. The height of the blade is around an inch or a little over 24 mm. The blade is distinguished by the elongated hole. The spine of the blade has been rounded off so they are not sharp in any way.
A drop point with harmonic proportions
The blade finish is a striking two-tone satin, longitudinal on the flat parts of the blade and horizontal on the grind.
This makes the blade look almost bi-colored in some pictures. But that is not the case. The blade has got a saber grind that reaches to about 3/4 height. The marking is discreet with a noticeable smaller version of QSP's logo on one side and steel type on the other and nothing else.
QSP played it safe with the steel. They opted for American S35VN from Crucible.
It is a consistently good all-round steel and from the two knives I have handled so far from QSP it appears that they seem to know what they are doing. The factory edge held for a good while and no rust or stains have arisen so far. As for the original sharpening, it can be said that it was good and consistent. Perhaps they should go for a little thinner edge. The steel is around 0,6 mm thick just behind the edge. It may seem that one should invest in getting the egg a little thinner. It measures in this case about 0.6 mm.
This makes the blade look almost bi-colored in some pictures. But that is not the case. The blade has got a saber grind that reaches to about 3/4 height. The marking is discreet with a noticeable smaller version of QSP's logo on one side and steel type on the other and nothing else.
QSP played it safe with the steel. They opted for American S35VN from Crucible.
It is a consistently good all-round steel and from the two knives I have handled so far from QSP it appears that they seem to know what they are doing. The factory edge held for a good while and no rust or stains have arisen so far. As for the original sharpening, it can be said that it was good and consistent. Perhaps they should go for a little thinner edge. The steel is around 0,6 mm thick just behind the edge. It may seem that one should invest in getting the egg a little thinner. It measures in this case about 0.6 mm.
The blade steel is S35VN with a two-tone satin finish
The grind and the fact that this knife isn't extremely thin behind the edge combined with the relatively thick blade almost makes this knife feel Scandi-grind on some occasions. But that is mostly positive in this case.
The blade is a really good all-rounder for all kinds of tasks and the tip is strong enough that I dare to bend a little to detach the knife from a piece of wood without fear to break the tip. And as for wood, Puffin cuts well in that material. Something I always test no matter what knife it is. It is a material that I often cut for various reasons. Lastly, it was to carve some floral sticks to help some plants to survive. The material was dried hard lilac.
The blade is a really good all-rounder for all kinds of tasks and the tip is strong enough that I dare to bend a little to detach the knife from a piece of wood without fear to break the tip. And as for wood, Puffin cuts well in that material. Something I always test no matter what knife it is. It is a material that I often cut for various reasons. Lastly, it was to carve some floral sticks to help some plants to survive. The material was dried hard lilac.
Handle
Sometimes you just praise the makers using less material. In this particular case, that means that you end up with a light and nimble knife. This is because the handle is weight relieved both here and there. Of course, there is the milled pocket for the carbon fiber scale on the presentation side. But the inside is not left untouched either and both sides are milled out.
Contoured sticks rarely go wrong, not this time either. A simple but effective handle
The carbon fiber used for the front of the knife is of really good quality and the fit is excellent. It is slightly contoured. All edges and corners of this handle are softly rounded as they should be. This applies to both exterior and interior. No detail has been missed in this regard.
Also, the finger choil or groove is nicely rounded. It's there you find the balance of this knife by the way. I prefer my knives as neutral as possible and this is not perfect but rather good. Overall, this is a very well built knife.
The back is partially open with a small backspacer in titanium
Comfort is provided by the neutral shape. I would like to see the hands that do not fit on this handle. Possibly if you have very large hands otherwise I think Puffin can be used by everyone.
Opening and Lock
Puffin is a little bit special to open. Or not really, but it was because I misunderstood it all. Initially, I considered the hole in the blade as an opening method for one-hand deployment. But that is not what the hole is intended for and therefore not very good for that purpose. Or almost useless to be honest. It is possible to make a so-called "spydie-flick", that is, open the blade with your middle finger.
However, it is impossible to open the blade with the thumb no matter how hard you try and whatever angle you test. The angle is not right, the hole is too narrow and misplaced, and the resistance of the detent ball too large.
No, that is not a blade hole for a two-handed opening. It's there to replace a nail nick
Instead, the hole is designed to replace a nail nick by making it easier to pinch the blade while opening it two-handed. The knife is originally designed to be legal even in European countries were only two-hand opening is allowed on knives with locks, read Germany.
Once the blade was out I was pleasantly surprised. Puffin has exceptionally good action. Among the best knives, I've come across in that area. Ceramic bearings help, of course, but even for being such a knife it is unusually smooth.
A frame-lock with that is easily accessible
Puffin uses the nowadays so common frame lock in titanium. The usual add-ons are there, over-travel stop and steel-reinforced lock bar. On this knife, these two functions are integrated.
The lock is easy to disengage due to a well-chamfered lock bar. The spring tension is also well balanced which makes the lock easy to handle.
The locking function itself is complete without negative remarks. There is not even a hint of play in any direction. That despite me really trying to find one since the action is so smooth that there should be the tiniest of wiggle, but no. The same goes for lockslip. There is none. Not during normal use and not even if I provoke the knife with negative pressure on the spine of the blade. Something that can be emphasized is how the blade slides into place when the lock has released its grip and the detent ball has been passed. Then the blade's discrete weight is sufficient to fold the knife.
The only objection I have to the lock itself has to do with the next point and it comes down to how the lock or rather the lock bar is designed.
The lock is easy to disengage due to a well-chamfered lock bar. The spring tension is also well balanced which makes the lock easy to handle.
The locking function itself is complete without negative remarks. There is not even a hint of play in any direction. That despite me really trying to find one since the action is so smooth that there should be the tiniest of wiggle, but no. The same goes for lockslip. There is none. Not during normal use and not even if I provoke the knife with negative pressure on the spine of the blade. Something that can be emphasized is how the blade slides into place when the lock has released its grip and the detent ball has been passed. Then the blade's discrete weight is sufficient to fold the knife.
To Carry
Puffin has become the knife I most often carry in the breast pocket of my jacket. It serves as a complement to the knife that usually inhabits the right trouser pocket. The reason is simple, Puffin is no challenger to conquer that particular position anytime soon. I'll explain why.
The outside relief on the lock bar consists of three rather sharp ridges.
The makes this knife much worse in a pocket than it could have been
The makes this knife much worse in a pocket than it could have been
The dimensions in themselves are quite excellent to carry around and that is why the knife does well even loose in the pocket. Some ten centimeters in length, around 1.1 cm thick and a maximum height below three centimeters are all decent dimensions for a pocket knife. Especially as it does not weigh more than 84 grams and all corners and edges are well rounded. So far no problems whatsoever and you might understand the way this is going, right?
The ramp for the clip could be a little bigger
But no, neither is the clip a total disaster. In itself, I might add. It's a small, straight clip in titanium. The ramp is a little small and it's perhaps a bit too stiff. But no meltdown despite that. The mounting has only one screw but it is enough to hold it in place without the risk of it moving and the back end is well beveled.
Rather, the big problem originates instead from an unfortunate combination of a small clip and the choice to put the relief for the lock bar on the outside instead of the inside.
You see the two distinct ridges on the outside of the lock bar? They really get in the way both when you draw the knife and when you are going to put it away. They are actually sharp enough to chew through fabrics after a while. That's despite me hitting the edges with some sandpaper. It is a battle I will not win and therefore given up.
That's why Puffin is found in my breast pocket on my winter jacket instead.
You see the two distinct ridges on the outside of the lock bar? They really get in the way both when you draw the knife and when you are going to put it away. They are actually sharp enough to chew through fabrics after a while. That's despite me hitting the edges with some sandpaper. It is a battle I will not win and therefore given up.
That's why Puffin is found in my breast pocket on my winter jacket instead.
To Conclude
Puffin is a knife that was liked already when it was seen in pictures and I almost immediately decided to buy one. Then the impressions became a bit divided when it arrived and I tried one-handed opening this knife for the first time. As I said, it did not work. I even contacted some other Puffin owners on Instagram as well as of course QSP themselves to figure it all out. The answer came fairly swiftly and explained a lot. This is supposed to be a two-handed knife! But it turned out that it was more than I who misunderstood that detail and wanted clarification. There was also a demand for a one-handed opening. Both of these wishes have now been fulfilled by QSP.
Excellent materials in a neat package make for a sympathetic pocket knife
So this knife is now available in three different versions. One with a blade hole and one without, both intended for two-hand opening. But also a knife with thumb studs for one-handed operation. These three should cover most bases. Especially as it also can be had in an all blacked out version for the ones who are afraid of the light. They all cost around 140 both in Dollars and Euros.
For your hard-earned money, you get a knife with exceptionally good action, once you understand how it works that is. That goes both for opening and closing. The ceramic bearings make for a smoother action than most knives I have encountered. The lock is also easy to access.
The materials and build quality are also on the highest level and there is not much negative to add. You also get a knife with for the format good ergonomics and an efficient blade that can handle most everyday tasks with ease. The downside might be if you are looking for a knife that is perfect for continuous cutting, a true "slicer". The blade is a bit too robust for that.
Furthermore, you also get a stylish exterior with harmonious proportions. Simply put a good looking knife.
The materials and build quality are also on the highest level and there is not much negative to add. You also get a knife with for the format good ergonomics and an efficient blade that can handle most everyday tasks with ease. The downside might be if you are looking for a knife that is perfect for continuous cutting, a true "slicer". The blade is a bit too robust for that.
Furthermore, you also get a stylish exterior with harmonious proportions. Simply put a good looking knife.
QSP Puffin, a good looking little fella
Meetings between titanium and carbon fiber rarely become total failures. I'm not a religious believer in that combination, but if it's done this way, I might as well send a little prayer to the knife gods. The only thing I would ask for in such a prayer is that something was done to the lock side.
As is, this knife has a clear presentation side and a backside. It's a way of doing things I'm not a total fan of. Personally, I appreciate more symmetry. It could be solved by adding a small piece of carbon fiber on the opposite side.
And since we are talking about lock sides. One of the few drawbacks of this knife is that the lock bar should be thinned out on the inside instead. If that detail is fixed you wouldn't have to deal with the saw that is looking for the first opportunity to attack your pockets. That makes this knife best suited for loose pocket carry.
Apart from that detail, this, in my opinion, is an excellent little "gentleman's knife". It has all the features I look for in a small supplemental knife for EDC use. It includes an air of luxury that the smooth action and build quality bestows.
Here is a link to the product page.
As is, this knife has a clear presentation side and a backside. It's a way of doing things I'm not a total fan of. Personally, I appreciate more symmetry. It could be solved by adding a small piece of carbon fiber on the opposite side.
And since we are talking about lock sides. One of the few drawbacks of this knife is that the lock bar should be thinned out on the inside instead. If that detail is fixed you wouldn't have to deal with the saw that is looking for the first opportunity to attack your pockets. That makes this knife best suited for loose pocket carry.
Apart from that detail, this, in my opinion, is an excellent little "gentleman's knife". It has all the features I look for in a small supplemental knife for EDC use. It includes an air of luxury that the smooth action and build quality bestows.
Here is a link to the product page.
Specification:
Length Open: 178 mm
Length folded: 102 mm
Weight: 84 g
Blade Length: 76 mm
Blade Thickness: 3 mm
Blade Steel: CPM S35VN
Handle: Titanium with Carbon fiber scale
Lock: Frame lock
Produced by: QSP, made in China
/ J - Mr. Two-hander
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